


Shade of Death

by Charbonne



Series: Norsekink Prompts [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: norsekink, Creepy!Thanos, Extremely Dubious Consent, Gaslighting, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, M/M, Mental Coercion, Mental Instability, No one trusts Loki, Non-Consensual Kissing, Non-Consensual Touching, Not Canon Compliant, Obsession, Obsessive Behavior, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prompt Fic, Stockholm Syndrome, Thanos thinks Loki is Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2020-03-30 23:39:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19037881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charbonne/pseuds/Charbonne
Summary: Written initially for Norsekink:According to some very quick research I did, Thanos was said to be in love with death a physical embodiment of death or something.For whatever reason, when Loki lands with the Chitauri, Thanos believes Loki to be some kind of vulnerable incarnation of Death (maybe he hears of the attempted genocide, or the falling Bifrost destroys a planet in front of him which he sees as prophetic). Thanos develops an obsession with Loki, certain that he is Death, but has been confused and brainwashed by his adoptive parents.Thanos is not violent with Loki initially, he's affectionate in a twisted way, but keeps him locked away and rapes him at least once, telling him how much he adores and worships him.It would be interesting to see Loki escaping and maybe only siding with the Avengers or even Asgard as revenge against Thanos. Or Thanos could send Loki to Earth with the same intentions in the film, but Loki desperately seeks out help, knowing he's out of his depth and unable to bear the thought of Thanos touching him again. Loki can totally kill him, as well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this was a fic I started back a while ago and decided to finally continue, though the updates will be slow as I am also working on multiple different stories in addition to this one. PLEASE HEED THE WARNINGS! This is an extremely triggery fic. I don't know all the tags I should put on it, though if someone can think of others as I post, feel free to let me know. However, the ones I have put are the big ones for now. 
> 
> Also of note, I began this fanfic back in 2012, well before anything of the new movies came out. So if it's not canon-compliant, that's because not much was known about MCU!Thanos before this fic was started. I also didn't know that Loki was going to do a heel-face turn eventually, though I did enjoy it when he did. Elements of the rest of the movies might come into play as I can't predict what I might add because of knowing what's come since the release of the original Avengers movies. This is not an attempt to be a fix-it fic for anything, it's just highly disturbing and a result of wanting to write a much darker fic than what I usually do.

It took what seemed like ages for Loki's eyes to adjust to the light inside of the underground cavern he currently inhabited. Ages that allowed him to collect his composure, stop the shuddering that was currently coursing through his body and causing his heart to stutter in an unnatural beat. It was enough time for him to draw what was probably the last vestiges of his courage about him like a tattered cloak, damaged beyond recognition but still useful.

His eyes gazed about the cavern, examining the people and items within it. The man with one eye, an older one that Loki vaguely recognized from the last incident on Midgard (what has it been, months, years, decades even?), and the man with piercing eyes catches his attention, but that isn't what he's interested in. His gaze landed on the sceptre still held in his hand as he grasped it, and with a mental shudder, he cast it aside.

The shrieking within his head was a new one - filled with angerandhateanddespair - and his hands flew up to his temples to try and muffle the noise. He sensed more than actually heard or saw someone step toward him, and he lashed out. His hand whipped the person off his feet, and as his awareness returned, he is confronted with numerous weapons directed his way.

"Well, that's a new one." His eyes instantly snap to the person speaking, and he realized that it is the man with one eye who is getting to his feet and dusting himself off with a nonchalance that had Loki been in his right mind would recognize as something of his own. The dark man locked his gaze with Loki's. "Now what the hell was that about?"

" _Don't_ ," he rasped. His throat felt raw as he spoke, and Loki vaguely realized that he had been screaming. Not necessarily a good way to begin a conversation, was it?

"Don't what? 'Cause as I see it, you just infiltrated a top-secret military installation and had some sort of fit. You'll just have to excuse me if I'm just a little interested in what just happened."

"Don't touch _it_!" A man had walked up and had reached down to pick up the sceptre, and at Loki's outburst, he immediately stopped. The one-eyed man's attention snapped over to it and then back to Loki.

"All right, what the fuck is up with the stick?"

"Should you touch it, they'll know. _He'll see_."

The one-eyed man looked over Loki for a moment, his gaze calculating. "Okay, lets start this conversation over. I'm Director Fury of SHIELD, of the planet Earth if you don't know. Now who the fuck are you?"

* * *

_He didn't know how long he had fallen, whether it was weeks or months, but Loki didn't care. All he wanted was to find some firm ground, something solid to regather his thoughts and banish the sights he had seen in the chaos that had surrounded him. His mind had cracked, and he feared that any more time with the phantoms that surrounded him would cause him to break completely. He doubted even Odin, with all of his might and wisdom, could have withstood the assault upon his very being._

_All he knew was that when the fall ended, it ended with a bone-jarring slam into unforgiving ground. He blacked out momentarily, his sight consumed with bright flashes and then darkness. He didn't stay in the darkness for long, for when hands went to grasp his arms, he came to violently. He thrashed against the grip of the hands that held him, trying to dislodge them and free himself, but the hands tightened and a new wave of panic seized the young jotun._

_"Peace, Asgardian. There is nothing here to harm you." The words were hissed into his ear, and caused Loki to fight harder. He doubted the individual's words, knowing them to be false, as surely as anything in this realm._

_It was almost comical to know that whoever had to be having a hard time keeping ahold of him, had he been in a better mindset. However, luck didn't seem to be with him, as the hands tightened painfully around his arms and caused Loki to finally still. He breathed raggedly and tried to regain his composure, finally taking the time to gaze about himself at the landscape surrounding him._

_It wasn't much to look at, a barren stretch of rock and sharp edges, stars glittering against a backdrop of black. The vortex that had surrounded him when he first fell wasn't in sight, and with it the images and sounds that would have killed a lesser being. Things seemed to skitter about in his peripheral vision, but when he tried to focus on them they vanished. He turned then, and was confronted with the sight of who held him._

_It was unlike any creature he had ever seen, wraps obscuring his face with gray, wrinkled skin and even odder adornments. The hands that held him were odd as well, the same gray but while normally he would have expected five fingers, he saw six instead. Loki repressed a shudder at the sight and the creature must have sensed his repulsion, since it chuckled harshly._

_"Do I disgust you so, Asgardian, or would you feel more comforted by your own kind's appearance?" Loki couldn't repress the shudder that time, remembering that_ his _own kind were monsters at best, abominations at worse. Perhaps it was penance, then, that had sent him here, where he could have ended up in Jotunheimr with the rest of them._

_The other's smile was an unkind one, and one Loki appreciated oddly enough. "I see," he said, and released his hold on Loki. "Perhaps such niceties are wasted on you, fallen prince, since you would not find them amongst your own kind."_

_"And what, pray tell, would you know of_ my _own kind?" Loki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "How is it that you know who I am, but I haven't the pleasure of knowing you?"_

 _The other gave a dry wheeze that sounded like it was trying to laugh. ""Have you been so out of touch that news of your own deeds have yet to reach your ears? Asgard has fallen into turmoil with your actions. The destruction of the Bifrost has reverberated throughout the cosmos, and the near-destruction of Jotunheimr has reached even here." The creature gave Loki an almost sardonic grin. "Asgard has forsaken you, and wishes you to be brought home in chains,_ Laufeyson _."_

 _Loki froze. "Where pray tell did you hear_ that _name?" he hissed through clenched teeth. He felt his magic rising to the surface, and his hands crackled with energy. He might not have had his brother-not-brother's strengh or temper, but this insult was too much to just let slide. Odin's son or not, he didn't want to be reminded of who, or what, he was._

 _"It is no matter. For now be comforted, since you have drawn the attention of my master, and he wishes to meet with you." The grin the other gave was chilling, and Loki could not fight the feel of ice dropping into his stomach at that statement_.

* * *

Loki sat calmly at the table that he had been brought to. The man Fury had him brought here, and he had been sitting here for the last half-hour or so, wondering what in the nine realms he had been dropped into. He recalled Thanos's orders, to bring back the tesseract, but he could _not_ bring himself to do so. Whatever the madman planned, he would not bring Thanos's plans to fruition.

It was with a click that the door opened and in stepped a man in a black suit, face calm and steady. Loki rose an eyebrow at the man and waited for him to speak. The man didn't disappoint as he dropped a folder onto the table. "You've caused a lot of questions around here."

Loki smirked. "I seem to do that a lot, don't think yourselves special." Which was true. Up in Asgard, he had probably caused a lot of questions about his behavior, and even more about the whys behind it.

The man didn't seem fazed. "My name is Agent Coulson. I work for Director Fury. Tell me," he said, sliding the folder Loki's direction, "do you recognize any of this?"

Loki simply picked up the folder in his hand and glanced through it. There seemed to be several pictures inside. The first was immediately recognizable, since Mjolnir was one of the most well-known items in Asgard. The next was the Destroyer, and then the mark of the Bifrost, and finally Thor, Sif, and the Warriors three. He kept his face neutral the entire time, studying each as he went through them. Finally Loki's gaze settled back on the agent, green eyes unreadable. "And if I do?"

"We have questions, not the least of which is who you are and what brings you to Earth."

"There are always questions." Loki placed the folder down, not bothering to look any longer. "I am Loki. As for what I am doing here,” Loki paused, considering his answer carefully, “it is entirely possible that I am here because of the tesseract.”

Coulson’s expression didn’t change. “The tesseract?”

“The blue cube that happens to be in your possession.” When it appeared that the agent was going to say something, Loki rose a hand to stop him. “I am not here to take it, if that is what you believe.”

Of course Loki was lying about his reasons, but he didn’t need to tell the mortal that. He knew that Thanos had specifically keyed the sceptre to him specifically, and that it would have continually sent the other information about Loki through a link to the Other, and Loki especially hated being spied upon. That was the entire reason for his shielding from Heimdall’s gaze, after all.

Coulson let his gaze harden a bit. “You seemed to recognize the pictures in the folder easily enough. You’re from Asgard, correct? Does this visit have anything to do with Thor?”

Loki chuckled darkly. “Of course you would know of Thor and ask about him. It is all anyone seems to do when confronted with the Thunderer. No need to know about others that may also be interested in your planet.” If Loki had been more stable, he would have changed his words, but the mention of his not-brother had caused a flash of anger to course through his system. Nevertheless, if Thor knew that Loki was upon Midgard once again, he doubted his brother would hesitate to drag him back to the Realm Eternal.

Coulson merely shrugged. “However, you’re here, and obviously interested. Why, besides the tesseract?”

Loki chose that moment to smirk at the agent, refusing to answer. They didn’t need to know. They didn’t need to know about Thanos, and whether the madman was coming or not. For all Loki knew, Thanos could not enter Midgard, not without the tesseract, and that was good enough for him. Let the mortals think what they wish.

“Very well then,” Coulson remarked. “We’ll give you time to think about how you want to answer. Know this, however. Thor spoke often about a brother from another realm. We have reason to believe that said brother destroyed a town in New Mexico. If you’re that brother, then I suggest you cooperate before things become much worse for you.”

The agent left, leaving Loki alone. That the mortals were suspicious, he could deal with. They had every reason to be. He had, after all, entered a place obviously well-guarded, and had done so without any effort, at least on his part. As long as the mortals continued to play their part, he would wait. After all, without the sceptre, he had a measure of his own freedom back, even if he had to remind himself that it would not be enough. At least until he knew that Thanos would not give chase.

Or the madman was dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Non-consensual touching and kissing. Pretty much assume any chapter with a flashback or Thanos to be a warning chapter. 
> 
> Also, I am still posting chapters that I had before, which means that next chapter will be the last one that I had previously posted. Anything from there will be new material.

Fury stood quietly in the conference room. Across the table sat Coulson and Maria Hill. Fury's gaze swept over the two of them before settling onto Coulson. "So what's the situation?"

Phil leaned forward. "Well, he recognized the photographs from the incident a year ago, and seemed upset at the mention of Thor's name. It's obvious that this happens to be Thor's brother Loki." Phil frowned. "However, he didn't state a reason for being here, and insinuated that he was here for the tesseract."

"And is he?"

"That I couldn't say. He didn't want to speak after that."

Fury's brows knitted together. "I see." He then looked over to Hill. "What about that staff of his?"

"Currently it's been moved to another area. There's several people examining the device, but so far no one's been able to determine where it came from and what it can do." Hill pursed her lips in thought. "So far, all we've been able to determine is that it gives off the same energy readings as the tesseract itself, but those same readings don't seem to match up with what we pulled off of the device found a year ago."

"So right now we're in the dark as to anything involving Loki and what brought him here." Fury glanced at each of them, his frown deepening into a scowl. “Does anyone know when Romanoff is supposed to get in?”

“She’s still on assignment with the Luchkov job. According to her last check-in, she should be back in the States in about forty-eight hours.” Coulson pulled out a smartphone and started flipping through the information. “She should be in Moscow if you want to call her in.”

Fury shook his head. “No, I think that we can handle Loki until she gets in. However, that means that there should be increased security in the section he’s being held. I want eyes on him until we know what kind of threat level he is. Thor was one thing; while he took out numerous agents, he kept from getting into trouble otherwise. I’m willing to bet our guest’s a different brand of problems.”

Both agents nodded, and Fury dismissed them.  Turning his gaze to the folder Coulson left, he decided to read through the particulars of this Norse god, at least the mythologies. That way he would be better prepared for whatever comes up.

* * *

Loki paced in the cell provided him. Well, they would call it a room for him to rest after his ordeal, but he knew the truth. He could feel the cameras upon him, and the way the shadows of the room were nonexistent as the square room was brightly lit. They would call it a room of rest, but it was still a cell all the same.

How much would the mortals here panic should they be told the truth? Loki knew that the madman was amassing an army, all to allow Loki the pleasure of having a realm of his own. However, that was not the case, as Loki had never wished to rule, as much as he might have hated to admit it. Ruling meant too many restrictions, too many eyes upon him at once watching for him to make a mistake so they could strike him down. Just like the lives struck down in front of him...

Loki thrust that thought from his mind as soon as it was thought. No, he thought angrily. he would not dwell upon what he had seen in Thanos's captivity, or what was done. To do so would invite the madness that the beast had inflicted him with, and Loki needed all of his wits about him if he was ever to navigate through the tangled mess that he found himself in.

He flinched as he felt someone handling the sceptre given to him by the madman. Not with bare hands, thankfully, that would cause all of the fury of the Other to invade his thoughts. He had of course given them no reason to trust him, or why the sceptre should never be handled by flesh. That knowledge Loki was loathe to give up, regardless of whether they needed it or not.

He paused in his pacing as he silently felt the tendrils of magic in the air. Unlike in Asgard, Midgard's magic was weak, almost forgotten and frail as dry parchment. He caressed it gently, moving it this way and that, before it was strong enough to do his bidding. He cast it away then, and it swirled away on currents of air.

Loki waited as his senses started to pick up what the bit of magic was encountering on its trip. People moved this way and that, a sense of urgency so great that it almost staggered the trickster if he hadn't known why. When he felt what he was looking for, he twisted sharply, leaving an image behind to fool the guards as he stepped out onto the main research area, right where the tesseract was.

The floor was empty, save for the few researchers and guards that were doing their nightly shifts. There were several that seemed to be examining the tesseract, and one that had seemed to take up residence on one of the catwalks, observing everything. Loki ignored them, confident that the spell he’d placed upon himself to appear invisible would hold upon scrutiny. Right now, his attention was on the tesseract.

The cube itself seemed dead, its energies swirling around sluggishly in its depths. Loki briefly brushed a tendril of his magic against it, and it barely flickered. Apparently, when he’d entered this realm, it had decided to go dormant. He grinned, the expression hidden from all eyes. Good. That made his job much easier.

He knew that the tesseract’s energies had acted as a siren’s song to all who could feel it. It wouldn’t even surprise him if someone on Midgard could feel its effects. However, since it seemed to be asleep, he could breathe a sigh of relief. Unless Thanos found a way to awaken the device, Loki was confident that he would not be coming anytime soon.

His attention seemed to be diverted momentarily when someone entered, chatting animatedly with one of the researchers. He frowned, recognizing it as one of the humans Thor had encountered. He slunk in behind the two, listening to the conversation.

“Well, if it wasn’t for earlier readings, I would swear she was just another glowing box. Nothing has been detected then?” Ah, of course the Midgardians would have found a way to detect the energies. That realization bumped up his assumption of these mortals a bit.

“No Dr. Selvig. So far, we haven’t even been able to get it to react to any stimuli. It’s almost like it’s asleep.” The man had the decency to blush, and Loki resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“Well, whatever happened probably sapped her of whatever energy she could have had.” Hmm, Selvig, huh? Loki decided he’d have to remember that man later. “I want you to make sure that we keep monitoring her for any abnormalities at this point. She might be dormant, but we don’t know that for sure.”

“Yes doctor. Anything else?”

“Yeah. That staff. Have we come up with what its composition is yet?” Loki froze, his mind nearly screaming _don’t touch it, don’t touch itdon’ttouchit!_ They didn’t know, how could they know? Loki was being deliberately obtuse, and if they so much as brushed a finger against it, it could cause his whole plan to go up in smoke.

“Nothing we can come up with. I don’t know much about extraterrestrial metals, but it seems to be an alloy, and the radiation is about on the same par with the tesseract.”

“Well, just keep me informed. I’m supposed to go meet with Fury here in a bit with a report, so any information before then would help in it.” Selvig rubbed his face, looking exhausted. “I seriously think we’re not going to be getting any sleep at this point.”

Loki didn’t listen to the other’s reply, already stalking back to where the tesseract was. He started considering his options, twisting them this way and that. It would be a simple affair just to keep the mortals out of the loop, though he doubted he would be able to keep Thanos from his prize for long. He shuddered, remembering the promise the madman had made to him, almost feeling his fingers caressing the back of his neck. He shoved the feeling away and focused, knowing that now was not the time to be remembering _that_. Then again, if he let it slip about what could be coming…

He twisted his fingers suddenly, not caring that he found himself back in his room and that it would appear that he suddenly jumped from one part of the room to another. He paced, letting that final thought go round and round in his head repeatedly. It could work, he mused.

Stopping suddenly, he grinned at what he knew was a hidden camera. Crooking his finger, he gestured for someone to come to his room. He had something they might want to know about, and in return, they would help him. It was as simple as that.

* * *

_He cringed, the feel of fingers sliding along his neck uncomfortable at best. The Other had informed him that he was to meet with his Master, and now that Loki stood before him, a part of him had to hide a revulsion that came from anyone touching him. He’d never been a tactile person, a feeling that came from years of never being shown affection, never being_   good _enough. It made him feel lesser, somehow, and Loki couldn’t pinpoint_ why _._

_“So, this is the one that tried to bring death to an entire planet?” The being slid back into view, his violet skin and glowing blue eyes some of the most prominent features on his face. “He’s small.”_

_Loki’s eyes narrowed. He hated the idea that this person, whoever it was, would call him small. It smacked right up against his feelings of inadequacies, and anger simmered in his eyes. “And I would guess that you would know exactly what I am?”_

_“Loki Laufeyson, prince of Jotunheimr, prince of Asgard, runt of Laufey and son of his hated rival Odin. I have been watching you for a while now.” The being’s hand lifted to trail a finger along his jawline, and Loki resisted the urge to just bite the offending appendage. “You have captured my attention and I have made it a point to learn about you.”_

_“Pity. You know so much about me, and yet I know nothing of you.” Loki sneered, jerking his face away from the creature’s hand._

_“Oh, you know of me.” The being chuckled. “You know of me well. We were companions, once.”_

_“I highly doubt that.”_

_The being’s hand came up to cradle his face again, and Loki jerked back, only to find that the other hand had taken to cradling the back of his head. Loki hadn’t even noticed how he had encroached upon Loki’s personal space, and before the sorcerer could move away, the being’s lips seized his own. Loki’s eyes widened and he shoved back, breaking the kiss. “What was_ that?”

_“Don’t worry. I fear you have no memory of our last encounter. That shall be rectified.” The being smiled in a way that made Loki’s skin crawl. “I am Thanos, and you, Laufeyson, you are Death. You shall remember in time.”_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is officially the last chapter before I get on with new material. I do apologize if updates slow down, but I don't plan on abandoning this fic. Also, I can't believe I forgot Thor in the tags. Whoops!
> 
> Also, no warnings this chapter. Not unless you count mentally unstable Loki as a warning. Then again, well...

"So, you're telling us that there's some crazy alien army that's going to be heading this way because we're messing with the tesseract?”

Loki almost rolled his eyes. Fury's disbelief was evident on his face, let alone in his tone. Truly, these mortals were taxing, to say the least. "You seem to disbelieve me? I have yet to lie about anything."

Fury snorted. At another seat was Hill, her gaze steady as she regarded Loki. She didn't bother him. It was Coulson, who was calmly standing behind Fury, which seemed the most dangerous.

"Unfortunately, we've done a bit of digging. It seems that we happen to have some very interesting stories about you, Loki, and not all of them are good. Most of them involve you lying to get your way." Fury folded his hands together atop a folder before him. "How do we know that you are actually here to save us, and not trying to fuck us over for your benefit?"

Inside, Loki was grinning like a madman. Oh, he liked the way this man thought. Apparently, he'd already deduced that Loki would gain something, though to be honest, it was from old tales. He regarded Fury for a bit, his outward appearance betraying nothing. Then his face split into a grin. "You don't know either way, do you, and you cannot possibly endanger this realm by simply ignoring what I said."

Fury said nothing, his mouth in a thin line. Loki would almost pity the man, if he didn’t hold an essential part to his plans. Finally the one-eyed man sighed. “All right, say we believe you. How exactly are we supposed to prepare for this Chitauri invasion?”

Loki grinned. Now, finally, they were getting somewhere. “First, I would suggest work on the tesseract to cease. It only will pull the army here sooner.”

Fury’s expression darkened. “I’m afraid that can’t happen. As it stands, that cube may be the only thing that can give us an edge in the fight.”

Loki’s grin widened. “If you say so. Personally, I believe that mortals have grown beyond needing outside help. Why, look at what you have accomplished in the millennium since my people were last here.” He swept his hand around, encompassing the room and beyond. “If anything, you might have evolved beyond Asgard in certain aspects.”

Fury snorted. “Somehow, I doubt that, not when you so casually send weapons like the last one down and destroy an entire town.”

Loki waved a hand. “Yes, yes, but you forget who precisely was there. I was dealing with an Asgardian affair, since the crown prince had been banished and his followers disobeyed a direct order not to go after him since we were nearly at war. They should never have been in that place at all, and the situation in that location would have never occurred.”

Fury studied him, obviously trying to determine if Loki was telling the truth. Which, for once in his life, he was. Loki had worked to ensure the war would never happened (“I did it Father!) and no lives beyond what was necessary had been lost (For you! For all of us!). He tamped down on the memory that surfaced, and instead folded his hands together. If his hands were shaking, he would not show it. Not here, and not now. He couldn’t afford that now.

“So, if we were going to face an alien that’s powerful enough to come here, how are we supposed to stop them?” Ah, now there was the question.

Loki cocked an eyebrow. “You do not have warriors on Midgard? People who would be able to fight in a war? I sincerely doubt that Midgard has developed the need to no longer have such a force.”

Fury glanced from Hill to Coulson. Apparently there was some sort of communication between the two, before the agent nodded and stepped out of the room. Hill didn’t look too happy, but she followed soon thereafter. Loki glanced from one to the other, and when they left, his gaze settled back on Fury.

“We’ll see what we can do. For the time being, I suggest you tell us everything you know about these visitors from another world that’ll be knocking on our door. After that, we’ll see what happens.”

* * *

Tony Stark stretched as he got up from his seat in his lab. So okay, his comments last night might have resulted in not being able to get any, however he knew that Pepper wasn’t really mad at him. Well, maybe a little bit. Then again, it had been an innocent bit of narcissism, so she shouldn’t be too annoyed. Maybe.

“Okay, JARVIS, how are we looking at that Mark VII armour?” As usual, when he was left high and dry, he retreated into his work. He blew up a display showing each of the components of his Iron Man armour, and started flipping through it.

“We are currently waiting for the newer specifications you indicated to complete, sir. Estimated time of completion is approximately two point five days.” JARVIS’s smooth tones informed Tony, and he nodded, grabbing a cup of coffee and making his way to the elevator.

“All right, just don’t keep the lights on working.” Tony was sure that if his computer had eyes, JARVIS would be rolling them at that point. Tony ignored the comment thrown back at him (Okay drunken decision making was not his forte) and entered, making his way up to the living quarters of his tower. He’d of course ignored the comments he’d heard about how the place looked. To him, it was just another symbol of, well, his success. So far, no other company could claim to have the technology that Stark Industries boasted.

When he stepped off of the elevator, he stopped, his eyes taking in the sight before him. Coulson, well, Agent Coulson with a capital ‘A’, was standing with Pepper, seeming to be in a conversation. “Okay, how did you get up here? There are at least ten different safety protocols for this floor. Don’t tell me you bypassed all of them.”

“Well then, Mr. Stark, I won’t tell you then.” Oh, there was the usual dry humor he came to expect from the man. He walked over to the bar, deciding that now was a good time to get drunk as any. “I’m afraid I’m here on business.”

“Yeah, well I’m sure that you can schedule a meeting with Miss Potts here and she can take care of that for you.” Tony poured himself a good measure of scotch and turned to face Coulson.

“It isn’t that kind of business, Mr. Stark, as I’m sure you are well aware.”

Tony took a large sip from his drink and stepped down from the bar area. “All right then, don’t tell me it’s that type of business. I’m pretty sure Fury said-“

“We need you to look over these files for us and report to the location specified.” Tony groaned as he realized that Coulson was being his usual smarmy self. Which, to be honest, made him a lot more tolerable than some of the people on the board, really. “If you can have that done by tomorrow morning at six AM, that would be appreciated.”

Coulson made to hand the packet over to Tony, who held up his hands away from the item. Pepper, the traitor, took the item and smiled. “Don’t worry, he’ll have these looked at as soon as possible and will be there.”

“Thank you Miss Potts. I shall see you then, Mr. Stark.” With that, Coulson left, and Tony turned an incredulous look to his assistant.

“Now what precisely was that, anyway?” Pepper handed him the packet as he gestured toward the elevator. “Oh, and JARVIS? Upgrade the security protocols. It was far too easy for him to walk in like that.”

“Already in progress, sir.”

“He came up, and rather than him go down into the labs, I decided to talk with him here.” She gestured to the packet in Tony’s hand. “Now what is that about, anyway?”

Tony had already taken the tablet and exploded out the screen, examining the pictures in question. He observed them for a moment or two, taking in the information provided. “That, my dear, is a boatload of trouble.” He gestured toward the picture of a dark-haired man. “Is it just me, or does he seem like he just waltzed out of Renfest or something?”

Pepper was already hurrying around the area, packing things. Tony blinked, trying to figure out what the redhead was doing. “I missed something there, didn’t I?”

“Nope, you are supposed to be heading to a meeting in DC in three hours, and since it seems like you’ll be busy, I’m going to go ahead and cover it.” She stopped in front of him and gave him a gentle kiss. “You’ll be safe, right?”

“Pepper, I’ve been through quite a bit and survived it so far, I doubt that this is going to kill me.” He chuckled a bit, while Pepper gave him a look. “Seriously, this stuff’s a cakewalk. I’ll give you a call when I get back.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” With that, Pepper left the room, obviously packing away the last bits of her luggage before she would leave. Tony turned back toward the screen before him, studying the screens and looking at the information they provided with a critical eye. If he didn’t know any better, he’d almost say that what was here sounded almost like a war was coming. He wasn’t in the weapons business anymore, so why were they calling him in?

* * *

Natasha walked down a hallway as she led Dr. Banner through the building. She had just finished with her work in Moscow when she had gotten a call to collect something. She glanced back briefly to ensure that the scientist was still there as they exited. Honestly, she didn’t much care for this assignment, not because she imagined the target to be anything but calm and pleasant, but because of what lay beneath the surface.

She reached the stairs, and when she came to the bottom, showed the good doctor in. That’s where she stopped. A man, dressed rather oddly, was directing some of the scientists to stay away from a glowing blue cube. She of course recognized it from the packet she had been sent, but why was he-?

The answer was immediately evident when the cube gave off a flash of bright light. The dark-haired man swore in something that sounded like Norwegian before he turned toward the tesseract with his palms outstretched. A green glow enveloped both his hands and the cube before it died down. So that must be Loki, she thought as she walked forward. Banner was two steps behind her, obviously studying the area carefully.

“So, is this where the party starts?” he joked, glancing from her to the cube. “I’d say the whole situation must be pretty bad if you’re asking for my help.”

Loki merely sneered as he regarded the two of them. “I would hardly call this a party; though you must think it thus, the way you seem to be behaving.” He turned around to glare at an older scientist who seemed to be giving him a distrustful look. Oh yeah, she recognized that, and it wasn’t a surprise to her, either, given Loki’s profile.

“Hey, I’m just trying to figure out why I was called here if it seems like you’ve got the situation under control.” Banner held up his hands in surrender.

“You were called here, Dr. Banner, because you happen to be the leading scientist in your field.” Fury walked over from where he was speaking with a few technicians. Natasha noticed quite quickly how the men were giving Loki the stink eye before dispersing to whatever tasks they were assigned. “This thing is giving off waves of gamma radiation, and we need a way to seal it.” He extended his hand. “Director Fury, head of SHIELD. I see you’ve already met Loki.”

Banner’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline as the god sniffed. “I would hardly call that a meeting, Fury, unless you count hostility to be a form of greeting in your culture.”

“Hardly,” Fury stated dryly. “Banner, Prince Loki of Asgard, god of mischief. Loki, this is Doctor Bruce Banner, renowned nuclear physicist and an expert on gamma radiation.” He gave the two a stern look. “I expect the two of you to work together to find a way to stop this thing from going off.”

“You would relegate me to a menial task?” Oh yeah, Loki definitely had the high and mighty attitude down. She only hoped that he and Stark wouldn’t hit it off, if only because the two egos coexisting would cause the facility serious damage.

 “I expect the two of you to do your job, unless your claim to protect the tesseract and help us was a lie.” Fury gave Loki a look that basically translated to ‘make one false move, and prove to me I need to lock you somewhere’. Not that she blamed him really. Loki himself was a wild card, more than likely one that was going to blow up in their faces.

Loki, for his part, snorted. “I gave my word that I wouldn’t. I however wouldn’t expect you to keep yours.” He turned to Banner, regarding him. “I guess this would be as good a time as any to instruct you on handling the tesseract, unless your mortal mind cannot grasp it.” He gestured for Banner to follow him, and he and the doctor left the room.

Natasha waited until the two were well out of earshot before she turned to look at Fury. “Agent Romanoff, reporting, sir.”

Fury nodded towards her. “Romanoff, I want you to watch those two, particularly the one that has delusions of godhood. Something doesn’t smell right, and he’s hiding something. I want you to keep an eye out and find out what that is.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uncomfortable situations, but nothing really triggery in this chapter that I could see.

“I really don’t like this.”

The woman to his left glanced at Clint, who offered a shrug back. Clint Barton wasn’t surprised that he’d been right about the fact that the blue cube was a doorway that opened on both ends. However, that didn’t mean that he had to like being right. As it was, cube-sitting wasn’t exactly his idea of a great time, and up in his nest, he had a great view of the layout, but was stuck in an uncomfortable position. Still, he had to deal with it, and quirked a brow at Natasha. “You think he was faking it?”

“What? You mean the fit?” She’d seen the video of what Clint had seen first-hand, so Nat couldn’t be an idiot. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust him though, since we both know that he’s recorded as being a liar.”

“Yeah, that’s the problem, isn’t it?” Clint rolled his shoulders easing out discomfort as he directed his gaze back to the floor below him. Currently he was observing the scientists studying the cube, or tesseract as Loki called it. Something didn’t sit right with him, especially since he felt like the other shoe was going to drop. “He’s probably oily enough to slip past our guard.”

Natasha nodded. Personally he figured that out of everyone present, she probably had the clearer head. She’d see things that Clint missed, and as Clint missed little, well, she’d cover his blind spots, like she always did. However, the people Fury was bringing in weren’t part of SHIELD, which made the situation stickier. After all, what was he willing to bet that something was going to go catastrophically wrong?

He glanced again at Nat. “You’ve got the view from here, right?”

“Mhm.”

“I’m going to go catch a nap.” Truthfully, he hadn’t had a night’s sleep since the cube had activated. Granted, it was dormant now, but that didn’t mean that it would _stay_ that way. It seemed to come to life in spurts, and Clint wasn’t stupid enough to think that a moment of calm was going to prove it to be harmless.

Natasha seemed to nod in acknowledgement, though she kept her eyes on the floor below. “Well, don’t take too long. Otherwise you’ll likely miss the fun.”

Clint smirked. “Apparently we have different ideas of fun.”

“Hey, you gotta take what you can.” She waved him away, and Clint left.

Clint stretched as he left his nest, figuring that Nat had things well under control. However, he couldn’t help but think that somehow, he’d dodged a bullet when Loki had arrived. Just what kind of bullet, he didn’t know, and he didn’t _want_ to know.

* * *

Loki wasn’t on the floor. According to the Midgardians, it was currently evening, and most of the staff he worked with containing the tesseract tended to need things like sleep. Loki would have loved to join them in their slumber, but instead he was in the room provided by the director, clutching at his head as he tried to rid his mind of the insidious whispering he was beginning to hear.

_The tesseract is close._

_You need only take it._

_These mortals cannot hope to understand it._

_You are failing, Asgardian._

Loki grit his teeth, trying to dispel the Other’s voice. He paced, traveling from one end of the room to the other. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and he was eternally grateful that the room’s lights had been dimmed. Still it continued, whispering poisoned words that Loki tried valiantly to ignore.

_Even now, I can reach you._

_My master is not content to watch you dither on the task._

_It will be your undoing to resist._

Unconsciously, Loki’s hands strayed from his temples to curl around his torso. He’d had experience with being undone, yes, but he was safe. The Other couldn’t reach him. Thanos couldn’t. He was safe. _He was safe!_

Except, not really. The last time he’d truly felt safe was before the madness, before Jotunheim, before Thor had been informed about taking the throne. He’d never felt exposed before that, never threatened, but now he found his heart pounded when people walked behind him, or when a whisper of sound barely met his ears. Touch was the worst, and he’d so far managed to avoid it as best he could.

Right now, he felt more exposed than when he’d first arrived at Midgard under surveillance. The whispers continued, and his hands rose unbidden to cover his ears. It wasn’t working. Why wasn’t it working?

He didn’t notice the presence in his room, only that someone touched him lightly on the shoulder. He reacted instantly, sparks of magic flying from his fingertips in an attempt to waylay his attacker. He heard a muttered curse and finally, _finally,_ was aware enough to realize that Banner had entered.

The mortal was crouched before him, clutching a hand to his chest, but looked more worried than fearful. Loki’s magic still sparked in the air, and it was with great effort that Loki managed to quell that. “I’m, um, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you didn’t like being touched. That’s on me.”

Loki frowned, lowering his hands carefully. The whispers had died down, and he realized much to his displeasure that he was crouched against the wall. “What are you doing here?”

Banner straightened out a bit, looking down at his hand before shaking it and returning his gaze to Loki. “I came to ask about the energies we’re picking up from the staff and the tesseract. I didn’t, um, realize that you didn’t want anyone bugging you.”

Loki tilted his head, uncurling and straightening. “I suppose if you made the effort to seek me out, I can oblige your curiosity.” He stood, a bit less smoothly than he liked, and gestured for Banner to have a seat on his bed. Considering that his room had at one point been his cell, he had no other furniture. “You will have to forgive the spare accommodations. I’ve yet to be provided with much more than what you see.”

“Oh this? Nah, it’s fine.” Banner sat carefully on the bed. “”I’ve had worse.” Banner folded his hands in his lap and leaned on his elbows. “So, you know that the tesseract is giving off gamma radiation, right?”

Loki had no idea what ‘gamma radiation’ was, though he could hazard a guess that it involved the seeming energies he could pick up off of the tesseract. “It seems to be, yes, if you mean the energies surrounding it.”

Banner pushed his glasses up his nose. “Well, we discovered the staff you brought with you gives off the same, with the same wavelengths. You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?”

“I know many things, though why the staff and the tesseract give off the same energies is beyond my ken.” Loki might be able to hazard a guess, but SHIELD was being secretive with their information, and thus his knowledge was limited. “I do know they both happen to be from an otherworldly source, but beyond that, I haven’t the faintest.”

Banner’s eyebrows rose, and he looked curious. “Really?” The mortal then frowned, his brows furrowing. “Although that explains why we haven’t been able to figure out what it’s made of.”

“You wish to know its composition?” Now Loki was curious, though his thoughts turned toward his latest episode. “Your people handled the scepter?”

Banner shook his head. “No, they said that you told them they shouldn’t touch it directly, and they’re taking precautions about that. Why?”

Loki, although unsettled with that news, shook it off. “It’s nothing.” Waving his hand, he gestured toward the direction where the tesseract was located. “What I do know is that it served as a gateway to this world for me to travel to. I imagine the energies must work toward that goal, as the scepter was attuned to it.”

“Attuned? How?”

Loki closed his eyes, already feeling the weight of the scepter in his hands and a not-quite caress against his cheek. He repressed a shudder before considering how much he should reveal. “It was gifted to me, to travel to the location of the tesseract. The being that wishes for it…” Loki paused, considering his next words carefully.

“He sent you to get it for him.” It wasn’t a question, and Banner regarded him. “Except you’re not doing that. How’s that going to work out for you?”

Loki shot the mortal a look. “I have it well under control.”

Banner sighed, shaking his head. “I know what PTSD looks like, and you don’t look too hot.” Loki’s mouth closed, his eyes boring into the scientist. However, that must have given something away as Banner nodded and stood. “Come on. I found the kitchen here and I figure that we can see if they have cocoa or something.”

Loki frowned. “I am not in need of sustenance.”

“I actually doubt that, but that’s not why I suggested it.” Banner walked toward the door before glancing back. “Coming?”

Curious, Loki followed the mortal. He glanced one way, then another, expecting someone to protest him leaving his cell, but no one appeared. When they reached the kitchen, Banner pulled the door open and held it open long enough for Loki to enter and take a look around. It seemed simple enough, though he hadn’t the slightest clue as to what the devices were about.

Banner however seemed to know exactly what they were for, as he immediately made his way toward the cupboards and glanced through them. He grabbed out a box and gestured for Loki to take a seat. “Didn’t find any cocoa, but someone’s a tea drinker around here. Found a couple of boxes. I hope they don’t mind us having some.” Banner paused, glancing toward the god. “Um, you do know what tea is, right?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “I’ve had teas before. Never a Midgardian blend, but the ones on Vanaheim are highly regarded.”

Banner nodded. “Well, these might not be the same as that, but this brand isn’t too bad.” The mortal quickly went about filling two cups with water before placing them within a strange contraption. Pressing a few buttons, the device seemed to light up and make an odd noise that suggested that it was working. The doctor then turned to regard Loki thoughtfully. “You know, I usually drink tea to help me relax or get my mind off of something.”

Loki had seated himself on one of the stools at the counter, but he stiffened as Banner addressed him. “I drink it to for many reasons. There are several calming blends, though there are some that can help to sharpen the mind.” He gave the doctor the same regard he’d been given, though more wary. “I do not see how this relates to anything regarding the tesseract.”

“It doesn’t.” The device chimed and Banner turned to take the mugs out and, after opening the box, unwrapped small pouches to place within them. Turning, he shrugged nonchalantly, obviously letting the tea steep. “We’ve both had a long day, and it’s nice to unwind afterward.”

Loki blinked. “You seem to not much care that you are alone with me or that I could be a danger.” He tilted his head to the side. “Why?”

Banner shrugged again. “We’re working together, and I figured if you’re trying to help out as much as you say you are, then you’re not going to try anything.”

“You place much faith in me.” Too much, Loki thought quietly, but didn’t voice. “Are all Midgardians so trusting?”

Banner looked steadily at Loki, and the god felt the urge to squirm. “You trusted us first.”

That Loki had no argument for, and they waited in silence for a moment before Banner brought over one of the cups. “I don’t know if you take anything in your tea or not-“

“No, this is fine.” Loki clung to the mug, his thoughts elsewhere. How often had Thanos tried this very tactic to win Loki over? Loki remembered many times when the Mad Titan had used honeyed words and kind gestures in the beginning, but as with all things, those gestures turned. Loki didn’t wish for a repeat, and he glanced warily at the doctor. “What is this going to cost me?”

“Cost you?” Banner blinked in surprise before shaking his head. “That’s not…” The doctor must have considered something because he trailed off. “Oh.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“No, it’s just…” Banner seemed to struggle with the words for a moment before he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You don’t have to worry about paying us back. I just figured it’d be nice to meet up and discuss what we learned today.”

Loki still eyed the mortal with distrust, though he slowly realized that this doctor, this scientist, truly meant no ill will. However, he kept that thought sealed behind closed lips, and stared down into his cup. After a moment, he looked back up toward the scientist. “So how are you associated with the people here? They seem to be some sort of militia. You don’t strike me as that type.”

Banner shifted awkwardly. “That’s a, um, long story. Short version, they knew where to find me and brought me in to study the cube.”

“And the long version?” Loki was intrigued. He wouldn’t have thought that a force meant for war would bring in a scholar.

Before Banner could speak, anther individual walked into the kitchen. Unlike Banner, he was dressed for combat, if Loki considered the loose-fitting garments the man wore to be combat attire. The quiver across the man’s back suggested he was an archer, and his sharp eyes drifted around the room before settling on the two. “Don’t mind me, I’m just grabbing something to eat.”

Loki’s mouth closed with a definite snap and he decided that he was more than sociable enough for one day. He drank his tea quickly and made to stand. “I think it has been a long day. I shall bid you good night, Doctor, sir.” He nodded to each of the men before he took his leave. Socializing with Banner was one thing, but he didn’t wish to extend that to any of the warriors under Fury’s employ.

* * *

_Loki followed the creature before him. Thanos had instructed him to go with one of his ‘children’ and be shown to his quarters. The grey-skinned creature wasn’t exactly what Loki had thought would come from the man, but then again, it wasn’t like he looked like Odin_ (I could have done it Father!) _.He certainly didn’t look like Thor._

_As it stood, the creature known as Ebony Maw was apparently very proud of his position. He held himself with a regal air, and seemed to be viewing Loki with some level of suspicion. Had he not been, Loki would have considered Thanos a fool, but then again…_

_The phantom feeling of Thanos’s hands across the back of his neck caused Loki to shudder. This caused Ebony Maw to pause, glancing back toward Loki with interest. “Anything the matter?”_

_“It is nothing.” Loki immediately dismissed the memory from his mind, instead looking toward his guide with curiosity. “How is it that you came to be your father’s son?”_

_“I was selected when Thanos brought balance to my world.” Ebony Maw tilted his head. “He came during a time of strife on my planet, and ended it. My people are better off for his efforts.”_

_Loki frowned. “And how did he accomplish that?” It hadn’t left his notice that Thanos was interested in him due to the near-destruction of Jotunheimr._

_“My father is a man that believes that death is the only solution to world peace. His aim is to ensure that everyone has accesses to the resources they need.”_

_“And death is a solution how?” That was the only part that Loki had a hard time figuring out._

_“Less people means that there are more resources to go around.” Ebony Maw gave Loki a sidelong look. “Is that so hard to understand?”_

_“I find it a bit hard to believe.” The Realm Eternal had never needed to worry about that. Not to Loki’s knowledge, anyway. It had always been a land of plenty._

_“I am sure that it shall become clear to you, Lord Loki.” Ebony Maw stopped in front of a door. “These are your quarters. Lord Thanos’s quarters are across the hall, should you feel inclined to visit them.”_

_That comment knocked Loki a bit off-kilter. “His quarters are what?”_

_“Across from yours.” Ebony Maw looked unfazed. “He requested that he should be made available to you should you have need.”_

_Loki cocked his head to the side, curious. “And what need would I have of your lord?”_

_Ebony Maw gave Loki a humorless smile. “Why, the same need that any partner in a relationship would require, I’d assume.”_

_Loki froze for a moment, trying to consider what the implication of that statement was compared to Thanos’s earlier statements and actions. “He considers me his mate?”_

_“I would have thought that would be apparent.” Ebony Maw gave Loki a searching look. “He’s been looking for a long time for you, Lord Loki.”_

_Loki didn’t have much to say to that, as his mind was trying to process that information into something useful. However, all he could come up with was that first kiss, and he repressed a shudder. “I see.”_

_Ebony’s humorless smile returned. “You do not see. Not yet.” Opening the door, he gestured for Loki to step inside._

_Loki did so and stared. Books lined the walls, some in languages he’d never encountered, all aligned on shelves built in. A settee sat along the foot of a large bed, big enough Loki was certain that he could lose himself in it easily. A desk and chair sat along a wall with writing utensils and papers, and what seemed to be a large wardrobe (made from what Loki thought was suspiciously wood from Alfheimr) sat at the opposite end of the room. A large window overlooked the space beyond, though Loki turned away from it, reminded uncomfortably of his fall. All in all, the room felt almost like his own back in Asgard, though the bed was much larger, making Loki suspicious._

_Ebony Maw stood at the door, watching. “Is everything to your liking, Lord Loki?”_

_Loki gestured toward the window. “Are there curtains for this?”_

_The other looked bemused for a moment. “I can see if we have anything. Anything else?”_

_Loki opened his mouth, but then shut it. The first thought that crossed his mind had been something akin to letting him die, but that wasn’t something he thought the other should know. Not if he reported to his father, in any case. His father, who apparently thought Loki was Death, who had apparently told his children that he was a lord. A man who had ensured that Loki stayed across from him. A bed much too large for Loki, but could easily… “I believe this should be adequate.”_

_Ebony Maw nodded. “If you should need anything else, you need only ask. Someone should be here shortly with food for you.”_

_Loki nodded. “That would be appreciated.” He hadn’t thought about it, but he was famished. The other nodded and left, leaving Loki alone with his thoughts. Just what had he gotten himself into?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning that Thanos is in this chapter being creepy. Nothing too triggery, probably.

_There were very few things that Loki trusted. He trusted that somehow, Thor would ruin his plans in some way (as always), he trusted that the truth was far more ugly than any lie he could ever conceive, and he trusted that when someone showed him kindness it was best to look for the knife they were concealing. As he was currently observing the_ gracious _accommodations of Thanos, Loki had opted not to sleep in the bed that was provided for him. He’d hardly seen evidence that the other was trustworthy, and given that his current situation was… less than ideal, it was best that Loki took all precautions and opted for the settee instead._

_Of course, waking was another matter entirely, as the moment his eyes opened, he noted two things. One was that the desk chair had moved to beside his head, and the second was that someone rather large was seated in it. Loki tensed, mentally counting to five, before he spoke. “That access went both ways, I see.”_

_“You did not use the bed.” Loki felt the hand in his hair and his hand shot out to grab it. Thanos didn’t seem bothered by it, instead watching Loki with… Loki didn’t want to put a name to that. “It wasn’t to your liking?”_

_“I hardly find myself in need of a bed so large.” Loki made sure to manoeuvre the hand away from his head before he sat up properly, and then discovered something rather distressing. “Where are my clothes?”_

_“Being washed.” Thanos didn’t seem bothered by Loki’s state of undress, which didn’t fill Loki with comfort. “They should be back shortly.”_

_Loki didn’t bother acknowledging that statement, instead waving a hand and feeling his clothing form around him. He then stood smoothly from the bedding on the settee, putting a bit of a distance between him and the Titan. “Obviously I could have taken care of that.” He shot a distrustful look toward Thanos. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”_

_Thanos stood himself, and Loki hid a grimace as the other man stepped closer. “We have much to discuss, especially due to your lack of memory.”_

_“My memory functions perfectly well.” Loki took a step back, his eyes narrowing. “I do not see how you can improve upon it.”_

_Thanos smiled in bemusement. “Of course your memory functions well, in this life.”_

_He stepped closer, reaching out a hand, to which Loki grabbed. “Don’t touch me.”_

_Thanos sighed, but took a step back. “You have worn many guises, Laufeyson. In every one of them, we have met. We would seek each other out, first for camaraderie, and then later for companionship and wisdom.” He smiled. “It was you who first gave me the idea of how to cure my homeworld’s ills.”_

_“I am fairly certain that I would remember such an event.”_

_“Perhaps. Perhaps not.” Thanos began to circle Loki, causing the Trickster to turn his head to keep track of him. “You see, the officials of my world proclaimed the plan madness. That eliminating half of the population would be insane. I proclaimed that it should be chosen completely at random, and that by doing so we would ensure the continuation of Titan. Less people, more to go around, and it would solve the ills that plagued the world.”_

_Loki had a hard time believing that he would suggest such a thing, but kept that to himself. “And you would be the arbiter of such an event?” Loki narrowed his eyes. “Even I would not assume that people would be willing to allow me to mete out such a decision. Why would that hold for you?”_

_“No one else would have carried it out.”_

_“How benevolent.” Loki recalled the events leading up to his attack on Jotunheimr. Would he have eliminated all of the monsters? Even if Jotunheimr was destroyed, there was still one Frost Giant left standing, and Loki wasn’t sure if he would have taken himself out of the equation. He’d tried to, in the end, but still…_

_Thanos had walked around to his front, observing Loki carefully. “I have given you the ability to move about the compound. It should give you a clearer picture as to our plans, and perhaps jog some memories of the past. My children have been instructed to do no harm to you.”_

_“And should I choose that I wish to leave this place?”_

_The expression that crossed Thanos’s face was one of pain and longing, and caused Loki to reassess the wisdom of those words. “You will come, in time, to find this place as home. No judgement, no hatred for your true form shall be leveled against you. You are my bride, and my duty is to keep you safe.”_

_But not free, Loki noted. Nowhere in Thanos’s words did he hear that he was permitted to leave, and judging from the words the Titan had spoken, Thanos believed that Loki belonged to him. His fingers wiggled, testing his seiðr. It was weak, sluggish, and wholly not what it should be. Summoning his clothing to him was one thing, a magic that he could do in his sleep. However, it appeared that his trip through the Void had left his magic a mere fraction of what it had been. As a result, Loki could do nothing but wait for it to rebuild._

* * *

Loki’s eyes shot open. Footsteps were moving just on the outside of his cell, and for a moment, he couldn’t recall where he was. He’d dreamt that he was back at Sanctuary, and he had no idea if Thanos was coming or one of his children. His back was to the door, but his magic informed him that nothing was behind him. However, he kept his breathing steady and his hand clutched a dagger, conjured the moment that he’d awoken.  He only had one shot, and he had to make it count. He couldn’t let _him_ touch him again.

The swish of the door opening was all the impetus Loki needed, and he sprung into action. He flung one hand out, throwing whoever it was against the far wall of the hallway with magic, while another twist hid him and projected an illusion of himself where he’d sprung from his bed. The illusion crouched, waiting, while Loki crept along the walls toward the door. It was only when he noticed the size of the bed that Loki froze. In Sanctuary, his bed had always been far larger than Loki had ever needed, and finding out that it was much smaller…

A groan sounded from the hall, causing his hand to clench reflexively around the dagger he held. Creeping toward the doorway, he peered beyond it to find a form huddled against the wall, rubbing the back of his head. That’s when it came crashing into him. The Other handing him the scepter, coming to Midgard, speaking with Fury, attempting to help shut the Tesseract down…

Except, this didn’t look like one of the scientists he’d worked with the night before. For one, he wasn’t dressed in a white coat, and for another, a blue device glowed on his chest. A curious caress of magic revealed to Loki that it was a power source, though one he was unfamiliar with. Seeing that the mortal was unarmed and, likely, not a threat, the Trickster allowed his illusion to dissipate as another mortal, this one familiar, hurried to the fallen mortal’s side. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea to wake him up.”

The fallen mortal regarded Banner with annoyance. “Yeah, I noticed.” Pushing himself to stand, he peered into the room, spying Loki with a dagger ready. “Just what I predicted. He looks like he just stepped out of a production of Hamlet.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki stared at the mortal in confusion. “I was never part of any plays on your world. Besides, the more appropriate description is King Lear.”

Banner blinked. “Wait, you’ve read Shakespeare?”

Loki waved it off. “More like I had seen a few performances a few centuries ago.” He slipped the dagger back into nothingness and folded his hands behind his back to hide the shaking. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this wakeup call?”

“I wanted to get a head start on finding out what’s up.” The mortal grimaced as he felt the back of his head. “Didn’t expect to get Gandalf here tossing me around.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “I assure you, I am not a dwarf, nor am I a grey-bearded wizard.” A moment passed before Loki rolled his eyes at the two’s confused expressions. “I assume you believed that the name was pure fantasy?”

“We, uh, didn’t expect that you knew so much about Earth culture. Last night you didn’t seem so up on it.” Banner looked sheepish.

“Unlike my b-Thor, I did pay attention when we were given a general overview on Midgard’s culture. He preferred other pastimes. I instead paid more attention to your seidr and intellectual pursuits.” Loki shrugged, glancing toward the mortal he’d tossed. “And you are?”

“Tony Stark. Genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. I also read up on the situation here.” The mortal, Tony, stepped into the room. “So, now that you’ve had your beauty sleep, care to take a stroll down to where this cube’s being held?”

“Tesseract, actually.” Loki frowned. “You’re awfully glib for someone I just threw into a wall.”

“What can I say? Great way to wake up in the morning.” Tony glanced around the room, making a face. “And they have horrible accommodations for someone visiting from out of town. Fury needs to step up his game.”

Banner looked exasperated. “Tony, it’s not like they were expecting him to be here.”

“And that shows poor planning.” Tony stuck his hands in his pockets as he rose an eyebrow at Loki, who himself felt amused. “We’re supposed to be working with this guy. Can’t hurt to get on his good side by being nice, right?”

A slow smile crept across Loki’s face. “I like this one. Can I keep him?”

“Sorry Gandalf, can’t afford me.”

Banner rubbed his forehead. “All right, well, uh, you’re up,” he stated, gesturing to Loki, “You um, want something to eat?”

“Not enough time, science bro. Gonna move and eat.” Tony gestured back out of the room, looking from Banner to Loki. “Gotta lot of work to do.”

* * *

Loki had to admit, Stark was certainly full of surprises. That somehow in the span of the two hours that they’d been looking over figures, Tony had managed to pull out a variety of treats from around the room, most of which he’d had to have stashed away before he and Banner had come to get him, was impressive. Loki was currently snacking on something Banner had referred to as popcorn as he watched Stark and Banner go over their monitors together. Which, he’d had to give the man credit. Tony was far sharper than most Midgardians he’d ever come across.

The three had come to the agreement that the best course of action was to shut down the tesseract so that nothing could come through behind Loki. So far while they worked it had been dormant, which was something of a small comfort to Loki. However, it still gave off enough energies that caused Loki to worry, and he’d cast a spell to monitor the fluctuations in energies far more effectively than anything the humans had. His job was to advise and keep an eye on those readings their technologies couldn’t detect. He just didn’t want to tell them how terrified he actually was at the vast amounts of energies the tesseract contained.

“How’s that model looking over there Tony?”

That, and his current companions were trying to figure out the scope of energies they were looking at. Stark was frowning at his own monitor, cocking his head to the side. “Well, I’d guess that the cube itself is some sort of container. It’s insulating the inside well enough that the readings aren’t going to be completely accurate.”

Loki put the piece of popcorn he’d been about to place in his mouth back into the small bag before approaching the monitor. “It has some sort of shielding?”

“That’s the reading I’m picking up too.” Bruce frowned, looking down at the tesseract while holding the device he’d been scanning it with. “Is the container masking it?”

“That’d be my guess.” Tony glanced toward Loki. “Anything on your end?”

Loki frowned, feeling the tesseract through his magic. Now that the scientists had mentioned it, the outermost layer of the tesseract did feel like a container. Though, the more he felt, the more he suspected that the container also acted as a focus. “It’s still resting, if that’s what you’re asking. I wouldn’t prod it too much, however, as I believe it also acts as a device to focus it.”

Tony looked back toward the cube. “Can’t find an off switch though?”

“If it were that easy.” Loki walked around to the other side of the tesseract, careful to avoid contact with the other two men. “I’d hazard a guess that it has an infinite power source, hence SHIELD’s interest in it in the first place.”

Tony shook his head. “Power source, huh?” His eyes narrowed, glancing back toward his monitors while he flipped through screens. An unpleasant expression settled over his features as he studied them. “I guess that explains why they’ve been trying to weaponize it.”

Loki shot a look toward the man, and Banner’s head snapped up to stare. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope.” Tony turned the screen so that the other two could see it better. “Phase Two, it looks like. Not sure yet. I haven’t gotten that far into SHIELD’s files.”

Loki studied the screen as Bruce put down the scanner to approach it. He wasn’t sure about everything that was being projected, but he did recognize one device. “That piece looks to be from the Destroyer.”

Bruce glanced over to Loki. “The Destroyer?”

“Incident in New Mexico. It was in the files Fury sent me.” Tony shrugged, enlarging the image that Loki was looking at. “You sent down something to tear up a town and it was destroyed. SHIELD just came in and confiscated it.”

“They’re using alien weaponry?” Bruce’s gaze shifted from Loki to the image and back. “How were they planning to power it? Heck, how’d they manage to get it to work?”

Loki sniffed indignantly. “I would presume they’re using the tesseract for that purpose.” He then shot a look toward Tony. “And I did not send it down to ‘tear up a town.’ It was purely an Asgardian matter concerning a banished prince and his friends staging a coup when my brother was expressly forbidden from coming back to Asgard following an inter-realm incident that came close to starting a war.”

“Ew, politics.” Tony minimized the image and brought up the others. “Always hated that word. Still, if they managed to make something from the remains of that Destroyer, I bet you anything SHIELD’s got other weapons waiting in the wings.”

“Which makes it imperative that the tesseract not remain on Midgard in that case.” Loki grimaced. That meant the safest place for it was back in Odin’s vault. “First we must shut it down and then deal with this.”

“That’s for sure.” Bruce glanced toward the tesseract. “So what’s the best first step?”

“We could make a container that holds it.” Tony was back to studying the cube again. “Not sure what materials on Earth could do it, though.”

“No, I don’t believe there are any on your world that could.” Loki considered it, tilting his head to the side. “Perhaps…”

Bruce glanced at Loki. “Perhaps what?”

Loki didn’t reply, stepping back and sweeping his hands around. He drew the Casket of Ancient Winters from nothingness, setting it down before his features could change. “I’d have to study this, but the materials used in its making are not from your world.”

Tony looked heavenward as he slapped a hand to his forehead. “Oh great, there’s two cubes now? Where’d this one come from?”

“Jotunheimr.” Loki took a small step backward, afraid that his appearance was going to shift. “It’s the Casket of Ancient Winters, or Casket of Fimbulwinter in one of your ancient tongues. It can release a torrent of cold that can create an ice age on your planet.”

Bruce looked to be reaching to examine it before he withdrew his hand. “We can’t touch it, can we?”

“I wouldn’t advise it, no.” Loki grimaced. “It can only safely be handled by a Jotun.”

“But you’re proposing to use the casket to seal up the tesseract.” Tony looked thoughtful. “Can we safely place it inside without causing snowball Earth?”

“That’s what I need to find out. If nothing else, sealing it in there could cause whatever gateway this opens to open within the casket instead, trapping whatever comes out within.”

“That… might be a solution.” Bruce examined it closer. “And you think it might be enough to contain its energies.” He glanced between Tony and Loki again. “It might just work.”

“If we can figure out the variables to make it work long enough to get it back to your world.” Tony looked appraisingly at Loki. “You know Gandalf, for someone stuck in Elizabethan times, that’s a pretty novel solution.”


End file.
